Push

Actually, sapphireskies is right. When this song first came out, there was a huge uproar from women's groups claiming that the song promoted violence toward women. However, Rob Thomas went on some talk show and discussed how it was, in fact, he who had been abused. That shut 'em up pretty quick. Kind of ironic that they jumped down his throat for perceived violence toward women, but weren't disgusted by whatever woman did this to him.

the story of a girl who's been damaged, and she has a guy who can help her but he feels hurt by the way she treats him, and he's conflicted about wether to stay around her or not she knows she does this, but she just wants him to be everything she feels she needs, she's going to hurt him, use him, and she knows it and she's sorry for it, but she feels she can't change either way and he should just put up with it and be what she needs!

i haven't seen Rob's interview where he talks bout how 'it's about HIM being pushed around', annoying to find on Youtube, i've only seen Rob's comments before live performance, but he makes light of the fact that they were bashed for being 'immoral to women's values', i'm assuming because the song doesn't actual demean women at all lol

Honestly I feel that song had a deeper meaning.I say it was about a girl that never beleived any man loved her,they all did her wrong and Robby on the other hand cared.So she took out some aggression by pushing him around but I really dont feel it was to violent.I think it was more playful, in a off sense.Remember '' Yeah we just might feel good''.....I also think she said ''I dont know why you would ever lie to me'' and he was saying she was a little untrusting when she thought that the truth was gonna hurt her'' thats why he would lie to her?????

She's pissed off because no one has ever loved her and meant it, and now she finally has someone telling her they love her and she needs to test them. She takes the anger that she has from all of her past relationships out on him to a) release it and b) test him. In her mind, if he really loves her he'll stay through all her crazy and messed up and bitter and resentful bulls**t, and if he doesn't stay, then she has every right to be as bitter as she's being. That's just my interpretation anyways. Love this song.

i think this song is about rob being in an abusive relationship and he kinda wants to leave but the girl doesnt see why? (And I don't know why you couldn't just stay with me You couldn't stand to be near me When my face don't seem to want to shine Cuz it's a little bit dirty well) and she is demanding him to like pay her attention and treat her nice because she herself has been in an abusive relationship (Don't just stand there, say nice things to me I've been cheated I've been wronged, and you You don't know me, I can't change I won't do anything at all) but everyone else's interpretation all seem very plausible

NO ONE had this right. so here it is.

The verse is literally what he heard from a woman he was trying to save who dident beleive in her self any more beacuse she had been in so many bad places.

the prechorous and chorous are both figurtive (refering to emotional abuse) and sarcastic. Look at it like he would do anything to make her life better, but he knows that shes used to being abused, and who ever it was written for proboby cried when she heard it beacuse she knew that she would never have to deal with a self serving asshole again.

<3enjamin.

So this was my interpretation of it- The girl is pretty insecure, questioning her worth and goodness. Then she's saying she doesn't know if she's ever been 'really loved', which I took as a jab towards the guy (assuming he had been her bf at another period in their lives.) And I feel like she's saying it's not over, because she needs him. Like she's in her time of need, and the guy is just hurting and feels like he owes nothing to her from all the emotional turmoil he's been through. But he's still unsure because he loved this girl and still has hope when she sweet talks saying 'we can change, yeah we might just feel good'. I think the chorus is actually a trade-off between the boy and the girl. (Since it is about emotional abuse, they are both playing games with each other because they've been burnt by each other. Trying to even the score.) Like the first chorus is the girl singing, coming right off of "we might change, yeah we might just feel good", which I believe, is her using tactics to persuade him to do what she wants at that time. Just another example of playing mind (and emotional) games with each other for ones own benefit. Which then she segues into, what I feel, gently asking him 'why you ever would lie to me'. And how she is untrusting of herself because consciously she doesn't want the guy she loves to hurt. I think the mind games she plays are almost unconscious bitterness she has left unattended on the back burner. How she feels like she can't say anything if she's always censoring herself, is why she lashes out sometimes (emotional abuse) at him for things she's been building up 'why you couldn't just stay with me.' Which then the guy, who is always just hearing sugar-coated not true things from her is just fed up- 'don't just stand there saying nice things to me.' And he's really standing up for himself saying 'you've wronged me' by really torturing him emotionally and that she doesn't have the right to do that because 'you don't know me'. This is him done with her trying to persuade him to do things that aren't him 'I can't change' and that he's just done 'I won't do anything at all.' I feel like the 3rd chorus is just the guy exploding from his frustration with the girl who won't tell him how she really feels, and when she lashes out in bitterness and abuse. He just wants to feel in control, because the control is switching back and forth like a game with them. Then the next verse it's just the girl trying to persuade him again with her sweet talk, realizing it's not helping her cause for staying together. She is going for what she wants, him. And her bitterness for what he has done to her before keeps bringing her back to a state of resentment of him, even though she loves him with everything she has. (Confusing as that may sound.) I think they both share the last two choruses. The girl is dealing with the wanting of the guy she's been in love with by telling him all the things he wants to hear, but the pain when he had hurt her in the past makes her just just lash out at the guy. She wants to be in control so she doesn't have to hurt like that again, keeping him in line like she needs emotionally. And the guy is dealing with the girls sweet talk, which is giving the guy false information on how she really feels. And then when how she really feels lashes out at him, he feels emotionally abused by the girl he loves without any control of the situation. He wants to be in control so he can not be kicked around anymore, like, he's taken it for so long he just growing bitter with her over that. She tries to change who he is to mold him to what she wants, which he tried and discovered 'I can't change'. Long story short: I think it's about the girl pushing for something she needs emotionally from the guy, who is hesitant and not really for it based on their history. So the girl is trying to communicate again, and the guy isn't fooled by her sweet talk. And she goes on to abuse him again, which turns into a boxing match between the two of them- and this song really captures the essence of fighting in a relationship. It has the conversing bitterness and anger involved, with the strong love they have for each other at the core of it all. Truly beautiful song.

To me the lyrics make most since this way: Basically it's an up and down relationship where the guy is so caught up in his own personal issues and feelings he finds it hard to give his girl and their relationship their needed attention and resents her for wanting more of him and, thus, tries to push her away. I think it's the perspective of a guy. The only lines from the girl, of course, are the two lines beginning, "she said..." I think she feels unappreciated and doesn't get the involvement and honesty(love)she expects in the relationship. He realizes this but expresses that he has other things fighting him, including his own lack of identity, sense of not being truly loved and understood (before her )that keeps him from being the man that he should be (that he truly knows is right) but takes the easy, selfish way out and continues to push her around (not addressing her needs)just focusing on his own struggles and taking anything she confronts him with as further attacks on him. He takes advantage of her love, pushing her around and away, because it is the first time someone loved him enough to take it. Still, he doesn't want to lose her because he realizes she does truly love him; he's just found it hard to make the changes he needs to make and expresses that not rushing things could benefit them both.

So... this may not be the intended interpretation of the writer/singer but it is what i took from it, as the song expresses much passion and many emotions.

I look at it this way, people struggle in relationships because we have to fight our own selfishness. Love is very very tough; but, it is also extremely powerful.

my person take (and experience) on this song……. In every relationship, there is going to be times when you feel like you’re being pushed around, or pushed down, or being taken for granted……but give me the chance to make these mistakes myself, and it is then when I will show you that my love for you is different than the love, or lack there of, that these bastards in your past have shown you. I’m sorry that you’ve been lied to, but that’s wasn’t me. I understand that you need to take things slow, and I’m willing to do that among many other things for you. I just want the opportunity to show you that I really truly care about you, and that I will not be like the guys that treated you wrong. Just give me this chance. Give me the chance to make MY mistakes. Give me an honest opportunity to run MY course. There is no worse feeling than being pushed away by a woman because she has been treated poorly in the past, and is afraid of the vulnerability associated with relationships. I can handle rejection; I’ve been there and done that. I can stomach parting ways because of something I have done wrong, that’s just part of the game. But when you have done nothing more than show her care, and you have nothing that you can put your finger on as the reason that the two of you aren’t together…….its the most frustrating feeling you will even encounter. It has been almost a month, and still lose sleep over it…..

I think the song talks about a lady whose lover takes her for granted and always makes her feel low about herself. The normal thing she's to do is quit the relationship, instead she says "no!" not until I pay back all you've done to me in the past. She doesn't want the relationship to end without doing to the guy all he did to her.